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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSIAH LETCHWORTH, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK. i

SNAP-HOOK.

SPE'IFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o, 380.124, dated March 27, 1888.

Application filed May 18, 1887. Serial N o. 238,596.

To au whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J osiAH LETCHWORTH, of the city of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in SnapHooks, of which the following is a specification. l

This invention relates to that class of snaphooks in which the hook is provided with a flat steel spring which closes the mouth of the hook. A snap-hook of this kind requires a strong spring for holding the mouth of the hook elosed,and the ed ges of the spring, being square and sharp, frequently injure the thumb or finger on bearing down on the spring to release the hook.

The object of my invention is to remedy this difficulty; and my invention consists in providing the spring with a bearing-piece for the thumb or finger, whereby the spring can be more conveniently handled, as will be hereinafter described, aiidpointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a snap-hook provided with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view ot'. the spring and bearingpiece secured thereto. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bearing-piece.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the body ofthe hook, formed at one end with a curved portion, b, and at its op posite end with a loop, C, adapted to receive the end of a strap.

D represents the flat spring, secured to the body A near the loop C and engaging with its opposite end against the underside of the end of the hook, so as to close the mouth -thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section in line x x,

(No model.)

E represents the bearing or thumb piece secured to the outside ortop of thespring. This thumb piece is preferably'of oval shape, as shown in the drawings, and its top or face'is made slightly roundingto present a smooth surface to the thumb or finger. The thumbpiece E preferably projects beyond the edges of the spring and is secured to the latter by lugs or ears e e, formed on the sides of the thumb-piece and bent or clinched against the under side of the spring, as shown in Figs. 3

and 4, but may be secured in any other suity able manner. The thumb-piece E is preferably oast of malleable iron, with the ears or lugs e e arranged at right angles to the bearing-piece, as shown in full lines in Fig. 5, and the ears or lugs e e are readily closed against the under side of the spring by a cold-shut.

The thumb-piece Eforms a convenient and safe guard for t-he thumb or finger While bearing down on the spring to release the hook. ltpan be constructed at very little expense, and can JosIAH LETCHWOETH.

. Witnesses:

LYMAN HUEBELL, S. C. ADAMS. 

